Silver State Voices plans to station volunteer poll observers at all 177 voting locations in Clark and Washoe counties during the November 2026 midterm election, more than doubling its usual coverage in the two counties. The nonpartisan group typically sends observers to about half of those sites. Executive Director Emily Persaud-Zamora said the expanded effort is intended to help voters who feel uncertain or intimidated while casting a ballot. The plan comes amid national debate over whether federal agents could be present at polling places. In May, President Donald Trump said he would do what was necessary to ensure honest elections after a reporter asked whether he might send National Guard troops or Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to voting sites. FBI Director Kash Patel declined in September to rule out agents going to the polls, saying the bureau would follow the law and act if there were a violation. Federal law generally bars troops and other armed personnel from polling locations. The Trump administration has also said it has no plans to send ICE agents to voting sites. Still, Nevada election officials and voting-rights groups are preparing for that possibility. Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar said his office has legal filings ready if ICE agents appear at a polling place, while the Election Protection coalition plans to have lawyers on standby. The NAACP and partner organizations filed a federal lawsuit in Washington on Sept. 18 seeking to prevent armed federal agents from being deployed in ways that could intimidate voters or people assisting them. The Justice Department separately warned election officials in July that they could face prosecution if they knowingly allow noncitizens to vote. Athar Haseebullah, executive director of the Nevada ACLU, said the prospect of federal interference has been unusually prominent this election cycle. He also warned that false claims about ICE agents being at voting sites could discourage people from voting, even when no agents are present. On-the-ground observers, he said, could help correct misinformation in real time. Silver State Voices is training volunteers this month. Observers can monitor early voting and Election Day, but must sign required forms and may not photograph or record, speak to voters, or interfere with voting. They can report issues such as improperly placed signs or law enforcement activity, after which the organization will determine how to respond. Persaud-Zamora encouraged voters to cast ballots early rather than wait until Election Day, while emphasizing that uncertainty should not keep people from participating. The volunteer program is part of the national Election Protection coalition, which operates the 866-OUR-VOTE voter assistance hotline. Training information is available at 866ourvote.org/volunteer.